RF c01s02
Text It was late that night, and Ardent Desire had only eaten a small meal: he was fairly sure the servant that had brought him his dinner had stolen a good amount of it, but he was too excited and anxious to be hungry anyway. He had waited until the deep, deep darkness had settled in, when he could be sure that the rest of the keep was asleep. And now, flames danced in the fireplace as he carefully traced a circle in the floor, following the diagrams and illustrations he'd found in the book. He'd read it back and forth, studied everything that remained: many of the pages were frayed, and a few had been torn out, but there had been more than enough to explain the basic concepts and he'd been able to get his hooves on what he needed earlier in the evening, while his siblings had been occupied with dinner guests and the servants were more concerned with keeping Morning Glory happy than whatever the eccentric Ardent Desire was doing. The orange stallion finished drawing the last symbol in the circle with chalk, then he glanced quickly at the notebook floating beside him before nodding once to himself. He hesitated only a moment longer, then tossed the book back onto his bed and took a slow breath: now came the hard part. Ardent Desire closed his eyes and bowed his head forwards, concentrating his magic. He had gone over and over the spell in the book, memorized every part of it, but it seemed almost too simple, too easy: he had the strangest feeling that he was missing something important, and yet... yet... No, there was no turning back now. Ardent Desire gritted his teeth, his horn glowing brighter, dark swirls rumbling through the red aura that surrounded the spire as he began to murmur the words that had been on the page, the language guttural, dissonant, stumbling. He spoke quickly as the magic poured out of him, began to sap his strength as the air around him rumbled and hummed with the call he was putting out, before his eyes snapped open as a voice said softly: "You are not Illuminia." Ardent Desire's head snapped up, words cutting off and the magic fading from the air as he stared across at the entity that had appeared only a few feet away. A golden mask hid its face from view, but orange eyes with slit-like pupils stared out at from beneath the strangely skull-like, gemstone-ornamented metal, and a heavy cloak hid the rest of it from view, billowing like smoke around the entity. Only a pink, rat-like tail was visible, the tip of this swaying slowly as the creature murmured softly: "And a protective ward. A powerful one... who are you, unicorn?" "I... my name is Ardent Desire. Are... are you a... a demon?" Ardent Desire whispered, his eyes lighting up as he stared almost desperately across at the being, who looked back with calm curiosity. After a few moments, the masked entity nodded slowly, bowing its head courteously. "That is what your kind calls mine, as we call all yours 'mortals.' I take it you have called upon me for a reason, Ardent Desire? Why don't you step outside that protective circle, so we can discuss this more amiably?" "I... I..." Ardent Desire, faced with a real demon, licked his lips hesitantly before he said carefully: "I would... like to know more about you first. You... you said Illuminia... my mother's name. Did you know her?" "No." the demon said calmly, and when Ardent Desire's head raised slightly, the demon gave a quiet chuckle behind its mask. "Yes, I cannot read your mind while you are inside that protective ward, but I can see your thoughts clearly all the same. If I said yes, true or not, you would have been quicker to trust me. But demons do not lie, only twist the truth. Now step out of that circle. I have no desire to harm you." Ardent Desire hesitated, shifted uncomfortably... and then he finally nodded and stepped nervously forwards, leaving the safety of the ward. He stood apprehensively across from the demon, which he realized was even smaller than him... and yet all the same, both scared and enthralled him, before he felt a shiver run through his body as the demon said softly: "Yes. You seek to do business with me. Perhaps you are worth my time after all, Illuminia or not." "Wait, wait... I... how do you know about my mother?" Ardent Desire asked finally, and the masked demon studied him curiously. "Are... I mean, my mother always told me stories about... demons, good and bad, and..." "There is a pecking order in the demon world, especially amongst devils: the more-proper name for those of our kind who are more inclined to order, whilst demons are of... baser instincts." The entity sniffed almost disdainfully, and then said quietly: "I was a... business associate to a demon lord, who has... passed on, as I believe mortals colloquially phrase it. He was very fond of your mother. I have now taken over his accounts and manage his former assets: when you tried to call upon him tonight with your crude summoning, I heard you instead." Ardent Desire stared in disbelief for a few moments, then swallowed thickly before leaning forwards and whispering: "My mother... knew a demon lord?" "Yes. She was saved by him as a small child. Some our kind takes pleasure in being invoked by ponies – even the insane – when they attempt to perform a ritual sacrifice, others... do not. Some of our kind views mortals as only meat and food. Others have developed a fondness for them. But none of this is important." The demon made an almost-irritated gesture, revealing a skeletal claw covered in stretched white skin from one long sleeve of its cloak, and Ardent Desire shivered a bit. "What do you wish to bargain for?" "I... wait. No, no, I... I mean... I just wanted..." Ardent Desire shook his head hurriedly, looking awkwardly at the demon. "I don't even know your name. I only wanted to prove that this magic... works, exists. I want to show the world that-" "Demons and my kind are not toys, Ardent Desire, nor are we creations of magic to be called at whim and fancy." the demon said quietly, and Ardent Desire shrank back a bit before he looked nervously over his shoulder at the protective circle. Slowly, he began to back towards it... but then the demon caught his attention when it said softly: "Besides, why bother with the long road, when I can take you directly to your desired destination?" "What?" Ardent Desire looked up hesitantly, and the demon's eyes seemed to smile as it hid its claws back inside the sleeves of its robes, bowing its head towards him politely. "Pleasures of the flesh. Mares. Servants. Wealth. I can and will give you these things, with ease." the demon said calmly, and then it continued in that same gentle, alluring tone: "And out of respect to my former associate, and the fact that your mother was special to him, I am willing to share my gifts with you for a full month, without cost or obligation. After that, you may keep what you have earned... or we may discuss a new deal." "Wait... for... for free? You're saying you'll just give me... everything I've ever wanted, for a month, for free?" Ardent Desire stared in disbelief, and then he shook his head, adding hurriedly: "I don't... I don't even know your name..." "Names... why are names so important to your kind?" The demon sighed, shaking its head before bowing again and replying politely: "If you must refer to me as something, then you may call me Cupidus. But yes: as I stated before, demons do not lie... and I will not even tender a contract, nor bind you to any other form of written nor verbal agreement. I only ask you to remember that it will be the duration of precisely thirty days, and that during the last few days, the enchantment will weaken until you are left with only what you have earned." Ardent Desire hesitated for a few long moments, and he began to open his mouth, but found himself cut off when Cupidus answered his unspoken question calmly: "I already told you. I have taken over my former associate's accounts, and I must seek to honor his alliances as well as repair his grievances. Besides, what you're asking is a very simple matter, Ardent Desire. To ask for something in return for this sampling would reflect badly on my business ethics." The stallion swallowed a bit, and then he bowed his head forwards and whispered: "My mother told me demons could be generous, Cupidus but... but I'm truly humbled, and..." "This is only the beginning, Ardent Desire, of what I hope will prove a profitable relationship for us both. But please do not call me in the future unless absolutely necessary, although I will check in over the month to ensure you are enjoying your new life." Cupidus replied, and then the demon glanced back and forth before asking: "Where do you keep your money? I require a change-purse, or something similar." "I... I think I have one right over here." Ardent Desire hurried eagerly over to his trunk, yanking it open and looking back and forth before his horn glowed as he lifted out a small violet sack. He began to turn, and yelped when he found himself face-to-face with Cupidus, the demon easily catching the purple cloth bag when Ardent Desire accidentally flung it into the air. "I uh... I... sorry, I mean, I..." "It is done." Cupidus held out the bag, and Ardent Desire blinked in surprise as he looked at it, then gingerly took the sack as he realized that it did now feel heavier, and was bulging like it was filled with coins. The stallion shifted it in his hooves as Cupidus explained in his same cordial tones: "The sack will fill with your mortal currency every hour, until the month is up. Enjoy your wealth, Ardent Desire." Ardent Desire lamely took the bag, looking down at it before he opened his mouth and looked up... and saw the demon had simply vanished. He frowned in surprise, then shifted and patted all over himself, mumbling nervously: "I... I don't feel any different..." He looked at the bag after a moment, then hesitantly opened it and looked inside... and yes, it did seem much fuller. For a few moments, he only stared, then bit his lip before hurrying across the room and simply upending the sack, pouring all the coins inside out over the table and leaving a sizable pile: in fact, it looked like more than would fit inside the bag. Much more. Ardent Desire stared over this pile of money, and then he looked eagerly down at the bag... but now it was empty, and he winced a bit as he returned his eyes to the pile of money. Oh, sure, it was a handsome start, and to have real spending money of his own instead of taking from the Baron's coffers and hope he didn't notice, well, that was wonderful in and of itself. But... this wasn't exactly a grand amount of wealth... The stallion reminded himself of what Cupidus had said, however, and so he instead put the bag aside, then simply sat and stared at it, waiting for some sign that it was going to start filling up. He still felt elated... but part of him was beginning to wonder whether or not he had just been the butt of some demonic prank, too. Joyous as it was to have so many questions answered, so many thoughts confirmed... he had been left with all kinds of other thoughts and... and... Ardent Desire felt his eyes getting heavy, and he frowned a little to himself as tiredness washed over him. He shifted awkwardly, then cursed under his breath before he found his head bowing forwards, his eyes closing... No! He snapped his head up, forcing away the tiredness, sitting hurriedly up in... in bed? "How... how did I get..." The orange stallion looked dumbly back and forth: now there were only embers in the fireplace, and the protective ward of chalk had vanished. The orange stallion wondered for a moment if it was all a dream, as he slowly turned his head... and gaped, dumbfounded by what he saw. His purple changepurse was sitting on the edge of the chair... and beneath it, spread almost halfway across the room, was a pile of coins and bits. Ardent Desire stared, then twitched when the bag trembled visibly before another hoof-full of bits poured out of its open mouth to tinkle along the enormous pile below, one of these slowly rolling all the way to the bedside as Ardent Desire looked down... then giggled childishly and grabbed at his face in delight. He leapt to his hooves, seizing the changepurse and shaking it as he laughed loudly, then looked quickly back and forth before his eyes locked on the large trunk. A moment later, he was flinging all his knickknacks and other silly things he kept in there out of it, and then scooping up as many coins as he could carry with telekinesis, flinging them into the wooden box as he sang: "Oh I'm a happy stallion, I'm a happy stallion, I'm a happy stallion, as happy as can be!" The trunk was only half-filled with coins by the time he had scooped everything in easy view up, and judging by the light coming in through the thin slits near the top of the wall that served as this room's 'windows,' he had slept for a good six hours. So he dropped the change purse inside, careful to leave it so the mouth of the magic bag was open, before grinning and happily flinging his door open to step out into the hall... and the first thing he did was run directly into Morning Glory. He bounced off her, then winced and staggered backwards as she glared down at him, snapping: "And why weren't you at breakfast today, and... and who took care of your wounds? You look... you... look..." A strange frown spread over Morning Glory's face, and she breathed a bit harder for a moment before shaking her head out hurriedly, her eyes flickering as Ardent Desire stared up at her. And then the stallion cleared his throat a bit as he straightened, before wincing when Morning Glory said irritably: "Well, I'm waiting for an answer!" "What do you mean? I... no one healed me..." The orange stallion reached up, touching over his face gingerly... and then pressing a bit harder as he realized that he could no longer feel any swelling or cuts from yesterday, and his eyes widened a bit before he muttered before he could stop himself: "Thank you Cupidus..." "What?" Morning Glory asked with a frown, leaning down over him threateningly, and Ardent Desire winced before the mare reached up and grabbed him by the horn. He yelped as his head was jerked forcefully up so she could glare at him menacingly, leaning down... and then her features twitched again, her mouth fell a little open, her eyes almost shimmered as she simply stared at him, and he stared back nervously, wondering if after all these years, her mind had finally snapped. But then she only shook her head quickly and shoved him backwards with a disturbed look on her face, shivering once before she muttered: "Get out of my sight, Ardent Desire. In fact, do me a favor and leave completely. I have guests to entertain, including Shieldhoof, and I do not want today's diplomacy marred by another silly fight." Ardent Desire mumbled a little, then he nodded and said awkwardly: "Then... I'll just grab some things and-" "No, you'll leave, right now." Morning Glory stomped a front hoof firmly, and Ardent Desire yelped and nodded as the unicorn mare breathed hard and glared down at him, a flush rising in her cheeks and her eyes burning holes in him, making the stallion skitter backwards before he turned to run away. But before he could, she reached up and seized the end of his long tail, holding him in place for a moment and making him wince before she blurted: "But they'll be gone by supper. Be home for supper... I... don't waste... food." Ardent Desire slowly stared over his shoulder at her, and then Morning Glory let go of his tail and snarled at him, and the stallion decided it was a better idea to simply run away than argue or question whatever was wrong with her. He hurried down the halls, and bolted out through the rear entrance of the keep, used mostly by the servants. Ardent only tossed one look back at the large, rounded stone structure as he hurried away from it: the keep was shaped like a mushroom laying on its side, with a rounded, almost dome-like back and a rectangular, walled-in front. It was built on a hill, with the back facing down the steep slope that towards a steep embankment, and the stallion slowed as he approached this before finally halting at the edge of a cliff with a sigh to gaze moodily down into the ravine below. The river they got fresh water from flowed as peacefully as ever, and there were several buildings that sat comfortably in the shelter of the cliff and keep above: farms, mostly, and a barracks for soldiers. But everything else past this point was mostly wilds: most of the barony's population lived in the opposite direction. The orange unicorn shook his head a little, then turned around to follow the curving path that followed a slope leading down from the wide mountaintop the keep was situated upon, and follow it towards the village in the distance. That was, until he saw the banners and cadre of ponies approaching, and the stallion winced and hurried off into the forest that lined the path, not slowing down as he pushed his way through the trees. The last thing he needed was to be caught out on the road by Shieldhoof while Lord Bonfire wasn't around... Besides, this was where Ardent Desire had planned to head anyway... he'd just hoped to take the path through the forest, not shove his way through the messy underbrush. But after a few minutes, the unicorn managed to find the path all the same, and he sighed in relief as he looked back and forth. Birds sang in the trees, and animals rustled through the woods, and everything felt well and good as he shook himself out before turning his eyes down the well-trod trail and smiling a bit as he began to follow it while letting his mind... think. He had money now. It was left to be seen if he was... different in other ways, but for now, he thought he had enough bits to do the one thing he'd always wanted to: leave. After all, the time he'd spent out earning his scholarship had been wonderful, and freeing. Sure, he'd still been more miss than hit with people, but just being out from under his father's eyes had been... redemptive, he thought. Ardent Desire chuckled quietly as emerged from the forest and into a small clearing in front of a quietly-burbling river, where he spent a lot of his time. He smiled as he strode over to a flat rock and sat down on it, sighing in relief... and then staring when only moments later, a head poked itself up out of the water and looked at him with surprise. He gaped in shock, his mouth working stupidly as the head rose higher, revealing part of a smooth, strong body: it looked like a sea-green pony, but the sharp teeth, the glowing eyes, and the fact her mane was made of seaweed revealed all too clearly it was a very different creature indeed. And even though he'd caught glimpses of them, had once even been teased by one from the other side of the bank before it had dived back into the river... he'd never actually seen... "A Kelpie..." Ardent Desire whispered, and then he watched with amazement as the creature slowly swam forwards, then put a cloven hoof up on the bank and climbed sinuously out of the river, continuing to study him almost raptly. The stallion didn't even know what to do, what to say, as it approached him, and then he yelped when the slick mare grabbed him and shoved him down on his back. The Kelpie grinned down at him widely, licking her lips... and Ardent Desire winced in sudden fear as he saw those sharp teeth, reminding himself of what he was dealing with. He shivered, but the creature held him easily down before she leaned over him and cooed in his ear, in a sonorous, ringing voice: "I smell demonic essence... and I feel a magnetism that could only come from powers well beyond a simple unicorn's magic. Have you been a naughty colt?" "I... I..." Ardent Desire grinned weakly, and then the Kelpie drew back, her eyes locking with his before they glowed faintly, and the stallion shivered before he felt the truth being compelled out of him, as he whispered: "I... made a deal with a demon... he... gave me wealth and power for a month... for nothing..." "Oh, the cost is never nothing, darling. Never nothing at all... Greed demons are tricky bastards. Not like my kind... we only want two things..." The Kelpie rubbed her hooves slowly over Ardent Desire's chest, and he breathed unevenly, shivering and staring up at her before she leaned down with a grin. "And you'll do well enough for one, handsome." Ardent Desire's mouth worked stupidly, and then the Kelpie leaned down and kissed him firmly, and the stallion's eyes rolled up in his head as he almost whimpered in delight before her hooves pressed against him, and she asked softly: "Virgin?" "I... I only... once... it was... a prostitute and..." He was silenced as she touched her hoof to his lips, licking her own slowly as her eyes half-lidded and she gave a growl of delight. "Close enough. Just relax, sweetie. I'll make you a real stallion..." purred the Kelpie, and Ardent Desire stared up at her hungrily, adoringly, as she sat back against him and slid her hooves over his chest, pressing down against him, feeling him as she tilted her head back as she shifted... and then the stallion's eyes closed as there was bliss. Top ↑ Category:Transcript Category:Story